Panel board



Sept. 24, 1929. G. w. BERTHOLD 1,729,145

PANEL BOARD Filed June 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 [202W awzaz/efffierfai 6 W M M Sept. 24, 1929. G. w. BERTHOLD PANEL BO Filed June 1, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1111111 VIII Sept. 24, 1929. G. w. BERTHOLD PANEL BOARD Filed June 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet Patented Sept. 24, 1929 UNITED STATES GUSTAVE w. BERTHOLD, or CHICAGO, .I LL IiioIs,

P NEL spam).

Application filed June-1, 1925.; Sam-m; 33,923. V

'The present inventionrelates to improvements in panel boards for distributing elec-v tric power to a plurality of load circuits.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a novel panel board for a three-Wire system which is small and compact in construction, but in which the bus-bars and other conducting parts are sufiiciently spaced apart in air and in insulation to prevent short circuiting.

'Another object is to'provide a panel board for a three-wire system which can utilize standard double pole switches mounted directly overthe bus-bars at the middle of the board.

A further object is to provide a panel board in which the switches, are arranged in sections corresponding to sections of the fuse socket members, and permittting 'the'switches to be substituted and rearranged to adapt them to the varying requirements of the load circuits leading from the board.

Stated more specifically, it is an, object of thefinvention to produce a novel panel board tor a three-Wire systemv which is of less dimensions both as to length and width-than three-wire panel boards heretofore known; and. to construct and arrange the parts or elements on the board so that they occupy no greater space than a two-wire panelboard, so that the bus-bars and cross bars branching therefrom are spaced to accommodate switches of standard size, dimensions and spacingsof mounting-centers. With this object in view I arrange the fuse sockets in a plane spaced away from the bus-bars a considerably greater distance than is usual, and I locate branch or cross bars leading from the neutral bussbar in a plane between the planes of said fuse sockets and bus-bars. This permits of locating the fuse sockets along each side of the board close together which effects a very substantial shortening of the longitudinal dimension of the panel board as a whole. I also arrange branch or cross bars leading from the outer or positive main bus-bars inwardly to overlie the neutral bus-bar in a plane spaced therefrom, and these inwardly leading branch bars last mentioned also constitute supports or mounting brackets spaced apart a distance equal to the mounting centers of standard doublepole switches, sothat these switches may be mounted directlyoverlying the main: bus-bars in the space between-"the two" rowsof fuse receptacles along opposite sides'of said main bus-bars. "The result ofit'his arrangement of the parts 'o'r elements on the board ifsa very substantial saving in the space,'both length and'widt'h occupied by the boa-rd which enables me to construct athree wi=re system board occupying no greater'space than: a two wire' board of thetype now known.

Ancillary objects and advantages will" hecome apparent as thedescription" proceeds.

' In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of a panel board embodying the features of lily-invention. Y. 1

' Fig. in the sglocks constituting the fuse-socket mein- I Fig. 4 is a rear side 'view of a section'o-f switchesfsa-id View being taken substantially along line H of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is" a fragmentary front elevation of the panel board reorganized for=use in'a two wire system in which both'conductors of each load circuit are fused.

Fig. 6 is 'a sectional view taken 66 of Fig. 5.

2 a sectional-view thereof taken' plane 'of line 22 of Fig. 1.]

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions and adaptations, I have shown in the drawings and will herein describe in detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that I do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the particular form or adaptation disclosed, butaim to cover all modifications and alternative con structions in different adaptationsthereot falling within thespirit and scope of the invention as expressed inthe appended claims. f

Referring to the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the panel board comprises a base plate 10 of any suitable construction on which two parallel rows of blocks or socket members 11 constructed ofinsulating 3' is an'outside' view'of one'of the along line positioned therebetween, These bus-bars.

are secured in place by screws 18 extending up .through the board 13. Each block or socket member 11. in the present instance is provided, ,with two spaced fuse sockets adapted to receive plug fuses of standard construction. :Each of these sockets. comprises'a metallic shell 19which fits into a boreg.20,in. the top of the block 11 and which constitutes .the outer contact. 'A conductingplate .21 fits against the bottom of the ,shell 19 and extends therefrom outwardly through a lateral opening 22 in the blockll. The outer end of the plate21 is providedwitha binding screw 23. Resting upon the plate 21 in the shell l9 is-an insulating washer 24,0n which a conduct ng washer 25 is positioned. A..con-.

tactlscrew 26 supported by the washer 25 extends vertically and loosely through the washer 24,.the plate 21, the shell 19, and a bore 27 in the block 11 into a, lateral slot 28; opening. from said block into the gutter.

The washer 25. and the screw 26 constitute the central contact of the fuse socket. The lower-end of the screw is threaded into a terminal bar or conducting plate 29 which extends from the gutter into the slot 28, and which acts with said screw to hold the different parts of the socket in rigid assembly. The construction of the socket herein described is old and well known, and forms no part-of the present invention.

A plurality of conducting cross bars one for each pair of opposed socket members 11. are secured to the neutral bus-bar 17 by screws. 31., and extend through. horizontal openings32 in the blocks 11 to opposite sides of the panel board. Suitable binding screws 33 are provided on the outer ends of the bars.

iTheplates 21 and the cross bars for the respective blocks 11 are connected to the load circuits 34 34", 34 and 34, the positive and negative leads of these circuits being connected to the screws 23 and the neutral or common return leads being connected to the screw 33. It is immaterial in the present instance whether the neutral lead is single as in circuits. 34 "and 34: or whether it is branchedas in 34 and 3 3. By branching the neutral lead, two independent two wire load circuits are obtained in which the posi-= tive and negative leads only are fused.

To provide the regulation insulating space required in practice between the bus-bars 15 and 16 and the branch bars 30 the latter are bent from the neutral bus-bar 17 so as to extend across the formerat a substantial distance therefrom in a plane between the plane of the bus-bars and the plane of the fuse sockets. Itwill be evident that the insulation between the cross bars 30 and the fuse sockets in air and in the blocks 11 will depend upon the distance between the sockets of each row. To permit the sockets to be positioned closely together the insulating blocks. 11 are formed of such aheight that the cross bars 30 may be amply spaced from, both-the bus bars and the sockets. In .the'

present instance the space betwee'nthe sockets is substantially equal to the widthof one of the cross bars 30, but the ,vcompone ntl dijs; tance of the horizontal andfvertic'a l distances between each cross bar :30 {and the adjacent conducting parts, such as the shells 19 and the conducting plates 21 and 29, is still great.

i By,

enough to provide adequateinsulation. virtue of this construction, a short ,three .wire system panel board is obtained.

Conducting cr'oss bars '35, one for'eachfpair of opposed fuse sockets, are mounted alter nately on thebu s-bars 15 and 16,1to1. which.

they are securedl by screws"36, andarehent to cxtend forwardly andjnwardly therefrom over the neutralbus bar" 1'(; The innei'ends of these cross bars are insubstantiall'y the same horizontal plane 'ja'si'th'e conducting plates 29 and ineach instance iii alineinent withthe plates adjacenttIie'retoQ Mounted on the conducting .plates29 and the cross bars 35' aretwo rows of electrical switches of. standard constructionfl These switches can be'either single pole switches 37 or double pole switches 38, the former each serving to connect one plate with the o posed bar 35, and the latter each serving to connect the two plates" 29 of one socket ele ment 11 with the opposed bars 35; The switchesarefsecured in place with screws 39 which are threaded into the'p'late's 29 and" ion the cross bars 35 and plates 29 are spaced longitudinally of the bdard to accommodate the mounting centers of these standard double pole switches, thereby permitting said switches to be mounted over the main bus bars in the space between the two rows of sockets. The result of this arrangementis that a narrow board isobtained; By shortening and narrowing the-board in the'manner described, I can provide a compact board for a three wire-system occupying no greater space than boards for-two wire systems now extending from the neutral bus-bar and through the blocks in a pl'ane'between theplaneof the bus-bars and the plane of the sockets, two cross bars 35 extending respectively from the positive and negative busbars over the neutrah bus-bar, and switches connecting the last mentioned cross bars with the sockets. This permits the panel board to be built up to accommodate difierent numbers of load circuits.

Each switch comprises a pair of opposed spring clips 41, a double contact blade 42 adapted: tozengage and bridge said clips, and

an operating lever 43 for actuating said blade. Since the construction'of the switch is old and: well known; it is-shown more or less diagrammatically.

' The switches 37 and 38 are also secured to. the-inner sides of a series of plates 44 which engage notches 45 in the adjacent upper edges of the blocksll, and which serve to close the gutter of the panel board. In the present instance one plate 44 is provided for each pair of oposed blocks 11 constituting a unit, and the adjacent edges 46 of theplates are bent to overlap, thereby arranging the switches intdunitsor sections which can be removed and substituted at will without opening the entire gutter. The switches can be easily and conveniently rearranged. Thus a double pole switch 38 may be substituted for two single pole switches 37, and vice VCI'SH Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate the changes in the above panel board necessary to adapt it to a two wire system wherein both leads of each-load circuit are fused. The cross bars 30 are unnecessary in this arrangement, and can be removed, if desired. The conducting plates 21 are connected to load circuits 47 47', 47 and 47 of which each negative lead is connected through one of the fuse sockets the associated conducting plate 29, and a U-shaped bracket 48 to the bus-bar 17, and each positive lead is connected through another fuse sucket, associated conducting plate 29, and one cross bar 35 to one of the busbars 15 or 16. Each bracket 48 is mounted directly on the bus-bar 17, and serves the two adjacent fuse sockets. One half of the cross bars 35 are displaced by the brackets 48, and the remaining one half are arranged alternately. It will be evident that the panel board while intended primarily for a three wine system can thus be used for a two wire system inwhich only the positive leads are fused or iniwhich both the positive and negative leads are fused; This universal adaptability is highly advantageous in the manufacture and use of the panel board.

I claim as myinvention: U

1. A panel board comprising, incombination, three parallel bus-bars which are, re"- spectively, positive, negative and: neutral, two rowsof fuse sockets-mounted on insulate ing blocks extending along oppositen sides of the set of bus-bars and forming a gutter, said bus-bars being located in a' planeat the rear side or bottom of the gutter and said sockets beinglocated in a plane adjacent to the-:front or open sideof the gutter, cross. bars leading from said neutral bus-bar in op posite directions and extendingxthrough-v openings in saiduopposedblocks iri a plane between the respectiveplaneso'f said busbars and sockets, "means closing the front or open side of-said gutter,=two rows'oif switches: located beneath saidclosi-ng-means and: having their operating posts extendingthrough said closingmeans, andrmeans for connect-' i-ng said switches to s aid positive-and negative bus-bars and: said sockets comprising terminal bars connected to said 's'oclmts. andi projecting inwardly into said gutter and other terminal: bars attached to said positive and .*negative' bus-bars and extending forwardly'to theplane 50f the-firstfmentioned; terminal -bars, botlrtsets'of terminal barsbe ing'attachedto said-switches 2; A'panel' board"comprising,'in co1nbination, three; parallel bus-bazrs of which the middle baris neutral and the outerbars: are positive and negative: respectively, two rows of fuse sockets mounted on insulating blocks extending along opposite: sides ofi'the set of bus-bars forming'ai gutter, said. bus-bars being located ina plane .at the. rearside or bottom ot the gutter-and said -sockets being located in a plane adjacent to: the front or open side of the-gutter, cross bars leading from said neutral bus-bar in opposite directions and extending in front ofeither said positive orsaid negative barsand through openings in said opposed blocks.- ina plane between the respective'planesof said busbars and sockets, plate means closing the front or open side of said gutter, two rows of switches located beneath said plate means and havingtheir operating posts projecting theret-hrough, and means for connecting said switches to saidpositive and negative busbars and said sockets comprising conducting plates connected to said sockets and projecting inwardly into said gutter and cross bars attached to said positive and negative. busbars and extending forwardly to the plane 015 said conducting plates and thence into a position: overlying the neutral bus-bar, said conducting plates and said last mentioned Crossbars being attached to said switches.

'3. Apanel board unit comprising, in combination, three bus-bars, twoinsulating .blocks mounted at opposite sides of the set the space between said blocks and. overlying said bus-bars, two pairs of opposed switches mounted on the inner .side of said plate, two

bars leading from said pairs of switches respectively to the remaining two .of said busbars respectively, andifour :bars,-two leading respectively from the switches of each pair to one'ofthetwo sockets in each of said opposed blocks respectivelyl d. A panelboard-unit-comprising, in com-- bination, three :bus-bars -of .which' the; midrle one 'is'neutral and the outer ones positive and negativerespectively, twoinsulating blockslocated at oppositeesides of the set of bus-bars and formin'gibetween them a gutter' at the rear side or bottomof which said bus-bars are located, two fuse plug sockets in the'nfront face-of each'of said-blooks in a plane'zspaced" from the plane of said busbars, .a cross bar leading from said neutral bus-fbarr outwardly in-opposite i directions andextendingiover saidipositive and negative bus-bars and through :openings in said. blocks in a plane between :the respective planes of said bus-bars and sockets, switches located-in said gutter overlying said busbars, and means for connecting saidswitches to said-"positive andv-negative bus-bars and said-sockets respectively.

5.- A panel board having, 'in combination, three'parallel bus-bars which are respectively positive, negative and neutral, two rows of insulating blocks/mounted =on' opposite sides of theset of bus-bars, each insulating block-having two fuse sockets and each pair of opposed blocks'constituting aunit, cross bars leading from the neutral bus-bar through openings in said blocks and mainly located in a plane between the plane of said bus bars and the plane of said sockets, switches overlying the -bus-ba'rs, means for connecting said switches respectively to the positive and negative. bus-bars and the sockets, and a plurality of plates, one for each ,unit of blocks, closing the space between said blocks and overlying said busbars.

6. A panel board unit comprising, in combination, three bus-bars," two insulating blocks mounted at opposite sides of the set of bus-bars, two fuse plug sockets mounted in each of said blocks and having terminal plates extending into the space between said blocks, a cross bar leading from one of said sockets :mounted {at opposite, sides of said set:

of bus-bars, said fusezlsockets Ehaving conducting-plates extendinginto: the space between said s'ocketsandaat aisubstanti'al-distance' out::from;s'aid, bans, -;;a' pluralityof cross bars/secured to said busrbars :and extending outwardly therefromzintothe plane of said conducting-plats,-iand; a,plurality of. switches-- mounted: on 1 said plates and said,

cross bars between said-rowsi'of sockets-and over said bi'is-barslzm. i '51? r' a] z- 8. A panel board hav'ng,-'='inI-combination, a plurality of busbarswtwo rows of-:iuse sockets niountedat-eoppo'site sides of said set of busbar's, said? fuse: .-s.oc-kets shaving conducting plates extendingzinto the' space bctween said socketsvand at: a substantial distance out from saidn-bus-bars, a bracket mounted on one of saidfbus-bars'of one po-i lari'ty iand =esitending bntviardly therefrom into I the plane p'fi -said'conducting plates, a cross bar secured to? another ofis'aid bus-bars of another polarityuand extending: outwardlyf therefrom into zthe plane of .said conducting plates and oi emsagidwfirstabus bar,:and switchmeansi mounted Ion andmori-necting said bracket-and said cross bar respectively with 'saidnconducting;plates:F

' =In testimony-whereof, vI' :have:'lhereunt"o afiix'edmy signature; 3 s 5 l t. in". ZWL,

- oUsTA-vEw-BER HoLn. 

